On Dec. 5, 2003, Nancy Dunning, a real-estate agent known as the “Queen of Del Ray,” was shot to death in her home. The Alexandria Police Department believes Dunning’s killer was someone she knew, who shot her after she returned from a shopping trip where she had purchased Christmas gifts for a local charity.
Her husband, then-Alexandria Sheriff Jim Dunning, and the couple’s son Christopher found Nancy’s body lying on the floor.
Jody Donaldson, spokeswoman for the Alexandria police, last week called the case the “biggest highlighted homicide” in the department’s history. Detectives are still actively working on the case, she said, but they have no suspects. In fact, no one was ever formally identified as a suspect.
But, Donaldson said, “nobody’s been ruled out.”
In 2004 detectives were asking the pubic to assist them in identifying a man caught on a surveillance camera at the Target store Nancy Dunning was shopping at the day she was slain. Although the department believed the man may have been involved, the footage never led to any solid leads.
Detectives are asking for people who knew Nancy Dunning to provide information on her activities and relationships to help reconstruct her life before the shooting occurred.
Jim Dunning died earlier this month of natural causes,
The Del Ray Business Association Foundation has raised more than $100,000 as a reward for any information that could lead to the arrest and indictment of Nancy Dunning’s killer. Those wishing to contact a detective should contact Det. Hickman or Sgt. Milner at the APD at 703-746-6711. Anyone with information who would prefer to remain anonymous can call the Alexandria Crimesolvers Tip Line at 703-746-4258.
